“Damn. He worked that angle pretty good, didn’t he? So does that mean I can keep acting that way?” She knew I was kidding, even before she saw the grin on my face.
“Uh, no, I wouldn’t advise it, that was a onetime only deal.”
I laughed and made a mental note to buy this restaurant when I’m rich again, if for no other reason than to have a keepsake of my first firing.
*
Melinda’s first day at work was unique, to put it mildly. I felt sorry for her at first, trying to keep up with her orders while her feet had to be burning a hole through those Italian suede leather shoes of hers. And her exchange of words with that customer that ended up getting her fired, was pretty scary, and hit really close to home for me. But unlike my former boss, this time our silver tongued manager had the woman wrapped around his little finger, even secured a dinner party from her out of the deal. So he was pretty happy. But I’m most proud of the way Melinda pulled it out of the fire and began to work her ass off. She even helped me and the others out of some jams.
After the run in with the fur lady, I thought for sure that Melinda would lose patience with Meg, who kept her hopping the entire time they were there. I know Meg thinks she’s just a rich spoiled brat, and at times I would agree with her, but this rivalry between the two of them seems to go deeper than what is on the surface. To watch them together you’d think you were watching two roosters fighting over the hen.
While waiting at the bus stop for our bus to take us home, I saw Melinda’s head bobbed, and she woke up startled and looked around. And then once we were finally on the bus, she nodded off again. By the time we got home, both of us were completely exhausted and walked into my apartment like zombies on a death march.
I fed the kitten and changed her water. When I turned around, Melinda was sound asleep on the bed. I had to smile because I knew just how exhausted she must be. I took her shoes off and covered her with my blanket, combing the hair from her face. She looked so peaceful when she slept. I decided to forego the shower and fell on the bed beside her, asleep before my head hit the pillow.
Later that morning I awoke to a knock on the door. It was Norma inviting us to brunch, although it was almost one in the afternoon. We had slept for a solid nine hours and truthfully, I wouldn’t mind sleeping in for another nine hours. That twelve hour shift yesterday was murder on my legs and feet and I can only imagine what it must have done to Melinda. I told Norma that I needed to shower first, then we’d be right over.
Melinda was still asleep and I envied her as I stepped into the shower and washed away the day old restaurant smell. The water was luxuriously hot and the steam on my pores rejuvenated me. I was blissfully ready for another day. The same couldn’t be said for Melinda.
It took several shakes to get her to wake up, and when she did, she sounded drunk, slurring her curse words, as she pulled the blanket up over her head. At one point she thought I was her butler, Charles, because she asked him for an aspirin and a bottle of vodka to wash it down.
“You’re not hung over, Melinda, you’re just sore from yesterday. Go take a shower, you’ll feel a lot better, I promise you.”
She whined for a little bit, but finally got out of bed. But she just stood there, half asleep and not knowing what she was supposed to be doing. I grabbed a clean shirt and pair of boxer briefs from her drawer, and then I took her by the hand and led her to the bathroom. I even turned on the shower for her, and then I closed the door behind me, and tended to the kitten.
I really appreciated having brunch with Norma in her apartment. I really didn’t feel like boiling hotdogs on my hot plate again. That and I was eager to hear how her visit with her grandchildren was going. She told us that they had already left.
“They’ve already gone back to Texas? Oh I’m so sorry. Norma.”
“They could only afford a hotel room for two nights, and refused to take my money when I offered to pay for an extra night, so they left this morning. Oh, but we had a wonderful visit, and they promised me that they would come back to see me again soon.”
She didn’t sound very convincing and I wondered then, if she would ever see them again. I looked at Melinda and regretted not letting her help them out when she could have. She must have read my mind because she looked at me and shook her head, as if to say it was the right thing to do. When I get rich again… if I get rich again, I’m going to use my money to reunite Norma and her family permanently.
“So tell me, children, how did you find him?” Norma had a smile on her face and we knew we were busted.
Melinda spoke up before I could, “It was Chris’s idea. Using a private detective I know, they did the legwork for her, and long story short, found Ben living in Texas. Chris wrote the letter to him.”
“Yeah, well you paid for the detective to find him.” I said.
Norma looked at me contemplatively, “So, Chris, you took it upon yourself to have someone probe into my private affairs without my knowledge or consent?”
I flushed a hot red, tears stinging my eyes. My God, what have I done?
Melinda tried to defuse the situation, “No, Norma, it’s nothing like that at all, she was only trying to help you.”
“I know, dear, I was making a point. Chris was upset when you bribed our landlord for her apartment number and the similarities were just too close to ignore. You paid the landlord, and in a roundabout way, Chris paid the detective.”
Now I blushed with relief and embarrassment, “Oh, my God! You’re right, Norma. How could I have not seen that?”
“In both cases, your hearts were leading your actions, and as for me, I will be eternally grateful to both of you. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough to say, but I do indeed thank you.”
Now I was crying with love, “Norma, you are so…” I choked on the words and Melinda finished my sentence for me.
“You are so crazy! A wise, all seeing, all knowing, all loving kind of crazy and we love you for it.”
“Um, yeah, what she said.”
Chapter Sixteen
First Argument — Melinda Blackstone and Christine Livingston
“No, I don’t want to go back!”
Melinda was having a crisis of faith, as she faced her second day of work. I couldn’t say that I blamed her very much.
“Listen, that was my first experience at working a holiday shift too, and you don’t hear me complaining. We need the money, Melinda, because I can’t support you on my measly little salary.”
“I’m not asking you to support me financially. But damn it, how about a little compassion here? My feet hurt, my back is killing me and I’m tired.”
“And you think I’m not? Stop being a brat and get ready for work.” I didn’t intend to be mean, it just popped out of my mouth before I could pull it back.
“A brat? Try looking in the mirror sometime, why don’t you.” She threw her work T-shirt, clean jeans and briefs on the bed and slumped down beside them, her arms crossed defiantly.
“I can’t. You’re always hogging it.”
“Well, at least I don’t take all the hot water in the shower.”
“Oh, the hell you don’t, Melinda. It’s just that I’m too much of a lady to scream at the top of my voice about it.”
“Bullshit. You scream about everything else, Chris~tine. So what if it’s not about that.”
The way she said my named pissed me off even more. “Listen, Miss Blackie, get that stick out of your ass and pay attention to what I’m saying.”
She sneered at me and said, “You’re not saying a damn thing. You’re shouting orders and making demands, but you’re not being helpful at all.”
“You want helpful? Here, let me draw your bath for you, your highness. I’m sure that’s what Charles would do for you, right?”
I walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a towel and washcloth, slamming the door shut. Then I picked up her clothes from the bed, walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. When I walked back out, Melinda wa
s drawing on the wall.
“What are you doing?” I screeched.
“I’m counting down the days.”
She had taken a pencil and drawn a calendar on the wall with Thursday and Friday scratched out, and half a line through today’s date. She turned, shoved the pencil at me and walked into the shower.
Her point was made, but still, I didn’t appreciate her drawing all over my walls. Even if they were dreadfully drab. Then, to add salt to the wound, she started singing in the shower. Too rough!
I poked my head in the bathroom and could see her shadow behind the curtain. Smiling, I walked inside and flushed the toilet. “Helpful my ass!”
She screamed at the sudden spray of ice water down her back, and yanked the curtain back in time to see me dart out the door. A moment later she walked into the room wearing only a towel wrapped around her midsection, water dripping from her hair and glistening on her shoulders, leaving puddles of water trailing behind her. She took the pencil that was still in my hand and scratched out the dates again, including today’s date. She shoved the pencil at me again and walked back toward the bathroom. Just before she went in she called my name, then bent over and pulled up the towel. Mooned, right here in my own home. I clapped my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Damn, she’s got a sweet looking ass.
We barely spoke to one another on the bus ride to work, and when we got there, we went straight to our stations and began serving the patrons. It wasn’t until I saw her in the break room, touching her toes and then rubbing her back that I spoke to her.
“Tonight, I think we should switch sides and see if that helps your back any.”
“Thanks.”
That was it. That was all she said to me the rest of the evening until we got home. Thankfully, we both had Sunday off so maybe we could catch up on our sleep enough to be civil to each other again.
I switched the pillows on the bed, and she immediately laid down, again with her work clothes still on. I asked her if she intended to change into her pajamas and she said no, she didn’t have the energy. I knew she would sleep better if she’d got out of those smelly, constricting garments. I told her if she would change, I’d give her something to help her back. She lifted up on one hand and looked at me suspiciously.
“I got some ibuprofen today from one of the girls at work, it will help your back.”
She perked up a little, but not enough to change clothes, so I gave her the pills and got a glass of water for her to wash them down with.
“Chris, I don’t think I can do this.” She said staring at the pills in her hand, “Seriously, I’m dying here.”
I almost cried at her sincerity, “You can do it, Melinda. You’ve already worked the two worst days of the year, and tomorrow you have the day off.”
“Thank God, I had forgotten about that.”
“And I promise that I’ll be quiet as a church mouse so you can sleep in all day if you want.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that.”
“And if you’ll change out of those dirty clothes, I’ll um,” I looked around for something else to entice her with, but before I found anything, my mouth made an offer she wouldn’t refuse, “I’ll even throw a back rub in the deal.”
Suddenly she was moving faster than I had seen her move all night. She pulled the curtain across the bed and a minute later, pulled it back, wearing her pajamas with her dirty clothes lying on the floor. I laughed as she pulled the blanket back and stretched out on the bed.
“Okay now, no funny stuff, you hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am, no funny stuff, promise.”
I used my thumbs to rub up her spine and across her back, pulling and kneading the muscles until she groaned in appreciation. I couldn’t help but admire her muscular shoulders and taut back. Her skin was soft under my touch, and yet so strong. It took me awhile to realize that Melinda was asleep. Just one more rub and then I’ll quit.
I was too keyed up to sleep, so I leaned against the wall and watched Melinda sleep. The kitten had curled up on Melinda’s back and soon purred herself to sleep as well. But I was wide awake, asking myself the same question over and over again, what is wrong with me? I couldn’t come up with an answered. So I changed my tactic and tried to rationalize the situation. I surmised that these unwelcomed feelings I was having toward my roommate were most likely because it had been a year since my last relationship. I’d been incredibly lonely, and now all of a sudden, I was sharing my bed with a beautiful woman, and spending twenty-four hours a day with her. Of course, that’s the reason… so then, what’s the answer? It’s just lust, I tell myself, and it will pass.
What I was absolutely sure of was that I could not act on my lustful feelings and I could not let on to Melinda that I even had them. It wouldn’t be fair to her, not now when she’s struggling so. And besides, I wasn’t being fair to myself either. I couldn’t give in until I knew how this challenge turned out. Who knew if she’d even want to remain friends afterwards?
*
I woke up slowly, like a slug making its way across a tree limb. I even stretch slowly and deeply until every muscle wakened with gratification. Once that was out of the way, I looked around for Chris, but the bed was cold. Did I imagine it? Did she really give me a backrub last night? Damn, I wish I hadn’t fallen asleep!
It was nearly noon when I got up to see if she was in the bathroom. That’s when I saw the note on the door saying she was doing laundry in the basement laundry room. She said if I wasn’t mad at her anymore that I should come down and keep her company. Now how could I be mad at her after the way she took care of me. Man that was such a nice feeling, to have someone concerned about my needs without expecting a cash reward for their compassion.
I took a quick shower, got dressed and finger combed my hair, and then I bolted down the stairs two at a time until I reached the ground floor. I had not been down there yet and it reeked of several different, disgusting things, so much so that at first I had to hold my breath to keep from gagging. Then I heard Chris talking loudly to someone.
“I told you, stop bothering me or so help me, I’ll hit you with this!”
I rushed toward the sound and found the laundry room at the end of the hallway. Chris was facing a homeless man, a bottle of detergent in her hand, ready to smack him across the head with it if he took a step closer to her.
“Richard? Richard, is that you?” I recognized him from the front stoop. It was Norma’s old boyfriend, now neighborhood drunk. I figured he had come in here to get warm, since it was cold last night.
“Do you know him, Melinda?”
“Yeah, and so do you. You gave him some money, remember?”
“That was him?”
I nodded my head and she took a closer look at him.
He held his hand out to her, palm up, and slurred, “Give me some more money, toots, and I’ll sleep with your friend over there.”
I laughed, but Chris seemed to be considering his offer as she put one hand in her pocket full of quarters. She laughed at the shocked look on my face and then winked at me.
I took Richard by the elbow and led him out of the laundry room, “Go sleep it off somewhere else, big fella.”
When I walked back in, Chris asked me how I knew his first name, and I explained who he was and his relationship to Norma.
“Is that who she meant when she said she fell in love with a gambler?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Oh that’s so sad, for both of them. Norma at least pulled herself out of it, but he will most likely die alone in the street.”
I looked at the sadness in Crystals eyes and marveled at her empathy. “Maybe we can do something to help him, when we’re able.”
Chris’s green eyes shimmered and the sadness disappeared, “Oh yes, that’s a great idea. So, um, are you still mad at me?”
“No, not unless you’re still mad at me? After that wonderful backrub last night, how could I still be mad? We both were just really tired and let
our tempers get the best of us.”
“You’re right. Let’s make a pack not to do that again. I didn’t like it much,” Chris said.
“You’ve got a deal, Chris. I didn’t much care for it either.”
We both stood there for a minute, not sure what to say next. The dryer dinged that it was finished and Chris pulled our clothes out and began folding them. I walked over to the folding table and helped her fold.
“I sure appreciate you washing my clothes too, Chris. And if you’ll show me how, I’ll do the laundry the next time.”
“It’s a deal. So, did you plan to do anything special on your day off? I mean other than chase drunks away and fold clothes?”
“Well, we could use our tip money and go shopping or to the movies or something.”
“I am going grocery shopping when we’re finished here, but I’m saving most of my tip money to buy Norma’s Christmas present, oh and yours too of course.”
“A Christmas present for me? What are you getting me?”
“Nothing much, I assure you”
We finished doing the laundry, which was a really boring chore. Chris told me that she couldn’t leave the room until the clothes were washed and dried because someone might come in and steal them, or do nasty things to them. I’m not real sure who would want our pitiful things, but better safe than sorry, I guess.
“I want to check on Norma before we go to the store to see if she needs us to pick up anything for her.”
“Good idea.”
We put away the clothes and then walked down the hall to Norma’s apartment. She said she was feeling just a bit under the weather, and some chicken soup would be nice. I didn’t think a thing about it, but Chris was worried. As we walked to the corner store, she told me about her maternal grandmother, who died when Chris was still living in Collierville. One day she complained of being under the weather and two days later, she died from pneumonia.
From Riches to Rags Page 16